Programme Officer – Women’s Empowerment and Financial Inclusion

Starting Salary: NLe 262,061 

Contract: 2 Year Fixed 

Location: Freetown, Sierra Leone 

Job Profile

This Programme Officer – Women’s Empowerment and Financial Inclusion role will contribute to CAFOD’s involvement in Sierra Leone in line with the agreed programme strategy for Sierra Leone and Liberia, by taking the lead on the day-to-day management of CAFOD-supported programmes and partnerships.  CAFOD’s programme work is underpinned by an Integral Ecology Programme Model, where Programme Strategies are developed with partners to focus on addressing the causes and symptoms of poverty, inequality and environmental degradation. 

A key purpose of this role is to contribute to the successful implementation of CAFOD’s Jersey Overseas Aid (JOA) funded Women and Girls Financial Inclusion project, to be implemented over 3-year period with CAFOD partner organisations, in Kambia, Kenema, Port Loko, Kailahun and Karene districts. This position will report to the Women and Girls FIRST II Programme Manager.  

The scope of the post falls into the following broad functions.  

• Project management and development in line with the direction set by the Core Programme Strategy and Women and Girls FIRST II project documents 

• Building and developing effective relationships with Partners 

• Financial management and monitoring of programmes and projects 

• Programme Quality and Capacity Strengthening 

• Lead the programmatic delivery of CAFOD Financial Inclusion and Women’s empowerment work working with relevant partners and other key stakeholders 

Key Responsibilities 

Project management and development in line with the direction set by the Core Programme Strategy and Women and Girls FIRST II project documents 

• Provide day-to-day management of CAFOD-supported Women and Girls Financial Inclusion projects, working closely with partners and CAFOD’s Women and Girls FIRST II Programme Manager 

• Support the preparation of donor reports, in liaison with the Business Development Lead, Programme Manager and Finance colleagues.  

• Jointly responsible with partners for the effective implementation, monitoring, evaluation (including facilitating external evaluations) and reporting on programmes, in line with jointly agreed standards (programme cycle management) and donor requirements;  

• Contribute to the development and review of CAFOD’s Sierra Leone and Liberia core programme strategy; 

• Support partners to develop new project proposals and institutional funding applications that align with the CAFOD’s programme strategy and capacities to manage and implement the work, working closely with CAFOD colleagues.  

• Promote, capture and disseminate learning from partners and programmes, and ensure that this informs future programme development in line with Sierra Leone and Liberia programme strategy;  

• Realise CAFOD’s principles by acting in line with CAFOD’s partnership standards, and by promoting and supporting partners’ adherence to jointly agreed accountability, gender, safeguarding, inclusion, supply chain management/procurement good practice, and other standards; 

• Carry out advocacy work in support of partners (and CAFOD’s) efforts, with relevant stakeholders at local, national and international levels; 

• Oversee and support (where appropriate) the work of CAFOD colleagues and consultants working on CAFOD-supported programmes; 

Building and developing effective relationships with partners 

• Develop, nurture and manage relationships with CAFOD’s partner organisations in line with our Partnership Policy principles and standards; 

• Facilitate partner capacity assessments, working with relevant partner staff and CAFOD colleagues where appropriate;  

• Carry out partner safeguarding assessments 

• Invest in partners’ capacities, by jointly identifying needs, developing plans to strengthen capacities, identifying sources of support, and making requests for CAFOD resources to support capacity strengthening.  

Internal and external representation 

• In co-ordination with the Programme Manager/Country Representative, nurture and sustain relationships and effective communications with relevant stakeholders, including Chiefdom authority, district council governments, national networks and other agencies working in similar thematic areas in Sierra Leone.  

• Communicate with other teams within CAFOD to ensure that the programme is well understood, and that information is available for fundraising and other communication, including publications, media briefings, education, etc. This may involve participation in sessions/events with Supporters, communities of practice, working groups, etc. 

Financial reporting and monitoring of programmes and projects  

• In close co-operation with the relevant roles in the finance and funding teams, particularly Finance and Admin Manager (FAM), Partner Support Accountant, and Business Development Lead prepare and monitor budgets relating to both CAFOD and partner-led expenditure, as agreed with the Programme Manager and the Country Representative; 

• Develop relevant risk registers and monitor them in conjunction with the Country Representative or Programme Manager and review them regularly;  

• Where appropriate, support partners’ audits for programmes and projects under the oversight of the Country Representative; 

• Carry out partner financial assessments, reports and reviews, in co-operation with the finance team; 

• Review partner finance reports and cash forecasts and prepare grant approvals and payments in co-operation with the finance team and Programme Manager.  

• Carry out regular monitoring of project activities to ensure the objectives are being delivered.  

Programme Quality, Systems and Standards 

• Effectively use CAFOD’s programme management information systems to ensure programme and project information is up-to-date.  

• Ensure compliance with CAFOD policies, and any donor/government agreements, regulations and requirements attached to our work.  

Financial Inclusion and Women’s Empowerment Focus  

• Complement partners’ thematic understanding on Financial Inclusion and Women’s Empowerment, contributing to the development of relevant interventions that bring about positive change 

• Participate in relevant sectoral groups and communities of practice on Financial Inclusion and Women’s Empowerment and share learning and developments with colleagues and partners. 

• Provide technical support and guidance on Financial Inclusion and Women’s Empowerment as needed to projects, proposals and activities across the CAFOD Sierra Leone and Liberia Programme.  

Safeguarding  

All CAFOD staff share responsibility to promote and maintain a strong safeguarding culture, including identifying the key actions they should take given their role and responsibilities.  

Your role is responsible for ensuring that the programming work you are accountable for is safe, accessible, dignified and inclusive, providing ongoing support and follow-up to our partners in this area. 

Safeguarding for Children and Vulnerable Adults   

CAFOD recognises the personal dignity and rights of children and vulnerable adults, towards whom it has a special responsibility and a duty of care and respect.  CAFOD, and all its staff and volunteers, undertake to do all in our power to create a safe environment for children, young people and vulnerable adults and to prevent their physical, sexual or emotional abuse.  CAFOD is committed to acting at all times in the best interests of children and vulnerable adults, seeing these interests as paramount.  Any candidate offered a job with CAFOD will be expected to adhere to CAFOD’s Safeguarding policy and sign CAFOD’s Code of Behaviour as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents.  

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references, and appropriate screening checks can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. CAFOD also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of, and consent to, these recruitment procedures. 

Person Specification

Understanding our context  

A Understanding Catholic identity;    

B Understanding CAFOD: Understanding the organisation’s ethos and Our Common Home Strategy  

C Understanding international development:    Understanding and experience of international development and programme management and quality standards within thecontext of CAFOD work in Sierra Leone and Liberia guided by the Programme Strategy 

Working together  

D Managing ourselves  

E Working with others;  Able to work in a team and support partners 

F Communicating; Able to communicate with colleagues and partners at a distance 

G Looking outwards; Understanding of effective and values-based partnership work between northern and southern organisations and communities.  

Making change happen  

H Managing resources Computer literacy i.e.  familiar with Microsoft word, excel and knowledge of information and database management; Budget monitoring skills 

I Achieving results; Able to manage competing work demands 

J Managing our performance  

K Taking the lead  

Job-specific Competencies 

1. Understanding and first-hand experience of institutional funding work/projects, priorities, trends and donor conditions;  

2. First-hand experience with a values-based partnership approach (between northern and southern organisations and communities). 

3. Experience using programme cycle management tools effectively to deliver work within an agreed programme framework; 

4. Able and committed to working with and developing the capacity of local partners organisations/ National NGOs;

5. Financial management understanding and experience; 

6. Ability and willingness to travel (approximately 12 weeks per year), sometimes at short notice and to areas of potential risk 

7. Languages: Fluency in written and spoken English and Krio 

8. Experience in Financial Inclusion programming in Sierra Leone or the region 

9. Experience in Women’s Empowerment or Gender programming. 

10. Previous work experience in the NGO sector for at least 3 years 

Desirable Criteria 

• Other local language skills for the project areas would be an advantage. 
• Experience working in partnership with, or for, private sector finance or ICT companies. 

Please click here for a full list of CAFOD’s Staff Benefits 

Come and join us and help make a real difference in the lives of the world’s poorest communities. 

CAFOD is an equal opportunities employer. Recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.